Automatic oil tank protective device



March 13, 1951 J LEE 2,545,154

AUTOMATIC OIL TANK PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed July 8, 1948 30 P 40 I 29/ 6 27 ,/30 35 giziz z x 2:; 1-2 =E=:T= w l 39 f 26 37 Q FUSIBLE LINK 31 38 2 BALL CHECK VALVE II I T i I 10 I D 26 I g 21 11 48 12 @252 x\\\xmx\x\ a\ x:xxxw i 20 ll )EX ll 17 19 i l 13 15 1416 SEDIMENT CHAMBER I IN VEN TOR.

FLOYD J. LEE

BY M 7m.

4T ORN Patented Mar. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES OFFICE Fl ydL-Lee, Fullerton, Calif.,--assig-nor to-Akron "Brass "Mfg. Company, Inc., Wooster, Ohio, .2,

-corporation of Ohio ApplicationJulyB, 1948; ISefial' NOJI3L6F17 This invention "relates "broadly to jfire extinguishing apparatus for oil tanks and, more specifically, to an organization of pipes and risers that are permanently installed in contiguous relation with the tank and designed to implement the automatic actuation of the applicator for the fire-quenching medium.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a subterranean water supply line and'valve assembly for an out-of-doors fire extinguisher installation and to further provide a. drain cock in the riser and applicator support to obviate failure of operation infreez'ing weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fire-extinguishing appliance which is free from appurtenances that might be damaged or destroyed in the event the top is'blown off the tank consequent an explosion of the combustible there- 1n.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fire-extinguishing appliance which is designed to facilitate inspection and trial operation thereof without injury to the contents of "the tank.

Another object of the invention i to provide 'a fire-extinguishing appliance which may be used to effect the automatic delivery ofa finely divided Waterspray or fog'to' the top of a confiagrant tank orto inject a chemical foam between the top of the tank and'the fluid level of'the combustible.

Another object ofthe' invention is'toprovide an appliance for safe-guarding anoil tank or similar 'fire hazard which is eflicient of operation,

economic of manufacture, durable; and reliable, irrespective of climatic conditions.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing, and 'themanner in which all the various objects are realized, will appear in the following description, which, considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, sets forth the preferred embodimentof the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig.1 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the improved fire-extinguishing appliance, including a fragmentary portion of an oil storage tank; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the outer end of the applicator tube and cylinder therefor.

As illustrated, the appliance comprises generally avertical conduit or riser i mounted in a plate I! anchored upon theupperflface of the'walls of a pit l2 which'is excavated to a depth well below'the frost line. The riser is coupled with "a'waterline l3throughasubterranean valve I4 2 housed in a casing I 5-adjacent the baseof the pit. The portionof the line i3 intermediate the end wall-of -the-pit and-the casin 1.5 isprovided-with a screen andsediment chamber it and agate valvel'i to-accommodate adjustmentor repair after the initial installation of the piping system. The valve -l i is constructed with an automaticcheck to-drain' the vvatertherefrom when the valve -is closed andmay'be ofany-of the sev- "eral types that 'are ope-rated' bydepression of a stem orplunger. Intheinstant case the valve housing is provided with lugs for the support .of "toggle arms which are-designedto actuate the plunger I Supondepression-of a push rod It. The push rod is guided in atube 28 mounted in the plate Hand-the'u-pper wallof thecasing It. The free end of the push rod is formed with an enlarged head disposed within a-cup 22 which is mounted in telescopic relation witha tube 23supported by the riser I0. When the valve Mis open the head 2| ofthe push rod is engaged with the base of the cup 22. I Closure of the valve. may be effected by sliding -the cup upwardly upon tube 23 until the toggle knee is. readjusted. The valve push-rod isdepressed by-the action of a drop weight housed in the-tube 2.3 and suspended by a cable or chain Ziguidedin a conduit 26. 'The 'latteris securedto the'riser It and acrossheadconduit 21 that servesl'as a cylinder for an extensible waterapplicator mounted on the upper end of the riser. Thecrosshead cylinder is in- -stalled --s0 that the end .of one-of the arms thereof will be disposed in proximity with the top of the oil tank T, in practice about 10 inches from the'circumferential edge-thereof. The chain 25 is anchored through a fusible link2ii to the base of a nozzle housing 29 mountedon the-end of the crossheadarm adjacent the tank. The link is constructed tOJsuppOrt the .drop weigh-tin its elevated position and to disintegrate permit the Weight to fall and effect the operation of the valve l4 when the ambient air reaches .a temperature of approximately 165 degrees Fahrenbelt.

The upper end of theriser i9 is sealed. by a plug P disposed between the-crosshead-suppcrting T and a feed line that leads to the .outer end crosshead, and the outer end thereof is provided with a bearing ring 32 of adequate length to facilitate the free sliding movement thereof without undue frictional restraint. The cup leather 33 is secured upon the outer end of the ring 32 and a cylindrical screen 34 mounted in spacer disks is interposed between the closed end of the cylinder and the cup leather 33. The feed line 31 enters the crosshead intermediate the ends of the screen 34, and a ball check valve 35 is provided forwardly of the piston cup leather to facilitate the drainage of the cylinder. The nozzle housing 29 is formed to provide an abutment for a buffer spring 36 disposed in telescopic relation with the applicator tube and engageable with the bearing ring 32 when the tube is in its distended position. The outer end of the housing is constructed to receive a plate 31 which is frictionally retained therein and readily dislodged by movement of the applicator tube, the plate is preferably provided with a chain 38 for the suspension thereof after displacement from the housing. The nozzle 39 may be supported on an elbow, as shown, to direct the spray or fog downwardly, and may, if desired, be formed with a revolving head 39a to broaden the area of distribution. The nozzle is of the type that is formed with a plurality of ducts disposed in biased relation with each other so that the jets emitted therefrom will be impinged in a common focal point, and thus produce a finely divided mist or fog. The riser H1 is constructed so that the applicator, in its extended position, will pass over and above the vent (not shown) customarily provided in the tank, and the length of the crosshead, or cylinder, is proportioned relative to the diameter of the tank to assure full spray pattern coverage thereof. The larger tanks are provided with three or more units of the type described above, the crosshead in such case being proportioned to assure a requisite area of fog distribution.

A supplemental riser 40 leading to the interior of the tank and communicating with the riser i8 is provided to extinguish such conflagrations as occur when the vents or oil level in the tank afford an adequate supply of air to support coinbustion. The pipe 4!} is supported by clips M attached to the riser l and the discharge end thereof may be provided with a fog nozzle such as nozzle 33. When the pipe 43 is in fluid communication with the riser I0 and the use of the overhead applicator 39 is deemed unnecessary or undesirable, the water in the riser l0 may be turned off by manipulation of a valve 44 to divert the liquid into pipe 50, if desired. As a safeguard to the line it, a drain cock 35 is provided subjacent the valve 44. The riser and associated parts are braced by guy wires 46, and the base thereof is further anchored by stay rods 47 bolted to the cover plate H. A portion of the pit cover may be formed of planking 48 to facilitate ready access to the valves and strainer in the pit. In operation, the applicator tube is normally in its retracted position within the conduit 2? and the valve I4 is closed. Any water that may have been standing in the conduit 27 will slowly seep past the ball check valve II and drain the conduit. The water in the riser may have been drained by the petcock 45. In case of fire in the tank or protected hazard, the fusible link is melted freeing the weight 24 which drops against the push rod 2| and opens the valve l4. Up to this time the applicator tube has been retracted so that even if the top of the tank has been blown off or if a -vertical explosion has occurred the tube is undamaged. When pressure gets behind the applicator tube the surge of fluid flowing into the zone between the end of conduit 27 and the flange on the tube will, due to resistance of nozzle 39 to flow, cause the tube to extend or slide outwardly in the conduit 21 until the flange strikes the buffer spring. When this occurs, the nozzle 39 immediately begins to be fully efiective to produce a spray, fog, or extinguishing pattern depending upon the type of nozzle employed. After use, the cup 22 will be manually lifted to close valve 14, the applicator tube retracted, the fusible link replaced, and the stand pipe drained.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. Fire extinguishing apparatu for tanks comprising a support adapted to be mounted adjacent a tank, a generally horizontal cylindrical water conduit on said support having one closed and one open end, the closed end of said conduit being adapted for mounting adjacent to but spaced from one side of the tank, a water applicator tube open at both ends and slidably mounted in said conduit, said tube having a free end portion projecting past the open end of said conduit but to one side of the tank, a nozzle on the free end of said tube, a water feed line connected to said conduit between the closed end thereof and the adjacent end of said applicator tube, a normally closed valve in said feed line, and means for opening said valve when the temperature at a selected area reaches a predetermined value.

2. Fire extinguishing apparatus for tanks comprising a generally vertical riser conduit adapted to be mounted adjacent a tank, a generallyhorizontal cylindrical water conduit on said riser having one closed and one open end, the closed end of said conduit being adapted for mounting adjacent to but spaced from one side of the tank, a water applicator tube open at both ends and slidably mounted in said conduit, said tube having a free end portion projecting past the open end of said conduit but to one side of the tank, a nozzle on the free end of said tube, a water line connected between an upper portion of said riser and said conduit between the closed end of the conduit, and the adjacent end of said applicator tube, a subterranean water feed line and a subterranean normally closed valve in said feed line, and means for opening said valve when the temperature at a selected area reaches a predetermined value.

3. Fire extinguishing apparatus for tanks comprising a support adapted to be mounted adjacent a tank, a generally horizontal cylindrical water conduit on said support having one closed and one open end, the closed end of said conduit being adapted for mounting adjacent to but spaced from one side of the tank, a water applicator tube open at both ends and slidably mounted in said conduit, said tube having a free end portion projecting past the open end of said conduit but to one side of the tank, a nozzle on the free end of said tube, a water feed line connected to said conduit between the closed end thereof and the adjacent end of said applicator tube, a normally closed .valve in said feed line, and means for opening said valve when the temperature at a selected area reaches a predetermined value, said lastnamed means comprising a fusible link attached to the open end portion of said conduit, a chain connected to said link, a weight suspended from said chain, and valve opening means disposed beneath said weight.

4. A fire-extinguishing apparatus for out-ofdoor fire hazards comprising a stand pipe for delivering water, an underground water supply connection therefor, an underground valve in said supply connection, a crosshead conduit on said stand pipe in fluid communication therewith, a tubular piston in said conduit, a nozzle on said piston movable over the top of the fire hazard, a fusible element adjacent said nozzle in its retracted position, and a valve-actuating mechanism intermediate the fusible element and the valve.

5. A fire-extinguishing apparatus for oil tanks comprising an underground water supply line, an underground plunger valve therefor, a vertical water supply riser connected to said valve, a horizontal cylinder on said riser and in fluid communication with the riser, a water applicator tube slidably mounted in said cylinder, a piston ring on the inner end of said tube, a spray nozzle on the opposed end of said tube, a buffer spring in said cylinder to cushion the outward movement of the tube, a fusible link on the outer end of the cylinder, a chain connected therewith, a drop weight suspended by said chain, a push rod engageable with said weight, and linkage operable by said push rod for opening said plunger valve.

6. Fire extinguishing apparatus for tanks comprising a support adapted to be mounted adjacent a tank, a generally horizontal cylindrical water conduit on said support having one closed and one open end, the closed end of said conduit being adapted for mounting adjacent to but spaced from one side of the tank, a water applicator tube open at both ends and slidably mounted in said conduit, the inner end of said tube having a flange, shoulder means at the closed end of said conduit, a buffer spring between said flange and shoulder means, said tube having a free end portion projecting past the open end of said conduit but to one side of the tank, a nozzle on the free end of said tube, a water feed line connected to said conduit between the closed end thereof and the adjacent end of said applicator tube, a normally closed valve in said feed line, and means for opening said valve when the temperature at a selected area reaches a predetermined value.

FLOYD J. LEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

